Population density — all countries

Population density — Sub-Saharan Africa

Population density in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2023 — 52.7 per km². Since 1961, the indicator has risen by 354.8%.

2023 52.7 per km² +2.49% vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 52.7 per km²2023
Period minimum 11.6 per km²1961

Trend over time

1961–2023 · people per km²

Population density — Sub-Saharan Africa, 1961–2023020406019611968197519821989199620032010201720231961: 11.6 per km²1963: 12.2 per km²1965: 12.8 per km²1967: 13.5 per km²1969: 14.2 per km²1971: 15 per km²1973: 15.8 per km²1975: 16.8 per km²1977: 17.7 per km²1979: 18.8 per km²1981: 19.9 per km²1983: 21.2 per km²1985: 22.4 per km²1987: 23.8 per km²1989: 25.2 per km²1991: 26.6 per km²1993: 26.6 per km²1995: 28.1 per km²1997: 29.6 per km²1999: 31.2 per km²2001: 32.9 per km²2003: 34.7 per km²2005: 36.4 per km²2007: 38.5 per km²2009: 40.7 per km²2011: 43 per km²2013: 40.6 per km²2015: 42.9 per km²2017: 45.2 per km²2019: 47.6 per km²2021: 50.1 per km²2023: 52.7 per km²
Change over the period: +41.1 (+354.77%) Average annual rate: 2.47 %

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 52.7 per km²
World 62.1 per km²
Population density — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year per km² Change Change, %
2023 52.7 +1.3 +2.49%
2022 51.4 +1.3 +2.51%
2021 50.1 +1.3 +2.56%
2020 48.9 +1.2 +2.6%
2019 47.6 +1.2 +2.63%
2018 46.4 +1.2 +2.68%
2017 45.2 +1.2 +2.66%
2016 44 +1.1 +2.68%
2015 42.9 +1.1 +2.72%
2014 41.7 +1.1 +2.75%
2013 40.6 +1.1 +2.78%
2012 39.5 −3.4 −7.99%
2011 43 +1.2 +2.78%
2010 41.8 +1.1 +2.79%
2009 40.7 +1.1 +2.8%
2008 39.6 +1.1 +2.81%
2007 38.5 +1 +2.78%
2006 37.4 +1 +2.77%
2005 36.4 +1 +2.77%
2004 35.4 +0.7 +2.04%
2003 34.7 +0.9 +2.73%
2002 33.8 +0.9 +2.73%
2001 32.9 +0.9 +2.71%
2000 32 +0.8 +2.69%
1999 31.2 +0.8 +2.7%
1998 30.4 +0.8 +2.69%
1997 29.6 +0.8 +2.66%
1996 28.8 +0.8 +2.72%
1995 28.1 +0.7 +2.69%
1994 27.3 +0.7 +2.69%
1993 26.6 −0.7 −2.55%
1992 27.3 +0.7 +2.74%
1991 26.6 +0.7 +2.74%
1990 25.9 +0.7 +2.82%
1989 25.2 +0.7 +2.84%
1988 24.5 +0.7 +2.88%
1987 23.8 +0.7 +2.93%
1986 23.1 +0.7 +2.93%
1985 22.4 +0.6 +2.94%
1984 21.8 +0.6 +2.91%
1983 21.2 +0.6 +3.01%
1982 20.6 +0.6 +3.13%
1981 19.9 +0.6 +3.04%
1980 19.4 +0.6 +2.97%
1979 18.8 +0.6 +3.05%
1978 18.2 +0.5 +2.95%
1977 17.7 +0.5 +2.82%
1976 17.2 +0.5 +2.86%
1975 16.8 +0.5 +2.86%
1974 16.3 +0.5 +2.86%
1973 15.8 +0.4 +2.79%
1972 15.4 +0.4 +2.72%
1971 15 +0.4 +2.73%
1970 14.6 +0.4 +2.73%
1969 14.2 +0.4 +2.7%
1968 13.8 +0.4 +2.66%
1967 13.5 +0.3 +2.62%
1966 13.1 +0.3 +2.6%
1965 12.8 +0.3 +2.59%
1964 12.5 +0.3 +2.55%
1963 12.2 +0.3 +2.51%
1962 11.9 +0.3 +2.48%
1961 11.6

About the indicator

Population divided by the land area of the country (excluding inland water bodies). Average density says little about actual settlement: in countries with vast deserts or tundra almost the whole population lives on a small part of the territory, so the average figure comes out an order of magnitude below the actual density of the settled areas.

Important: The aggregate is weighted by land area: it is the whole population of the group over its whole area. It cannot be an average of country densities — otherwise Monaco would weigh as much as Russia.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.